Flush type guide rod



July 18, 1933.

E. S. ROSCOE FLUSH TYPE GUIDE ROD Filed March 17 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 18, 1933. E. s. ROSCOE FLUSH TYPE GUIDE ROD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1932 Qmwm: EdwinSRasw I Patented July 18, 1933 t Y rim-E11:sar nas EDWIN s. nosooE, ornocnnsrnn; NEW Yon-x; ASSIGNOR To YAwMANa ERIBE or nocnnsrnnfnnw Yong, A coRroBAfr-mn or NnwYoR'K" FLU Sfi TYPE eurn nnon 9 Application filed Mama 17,1932. Serial m). 599,412.,

This invention relates to filing devices and more particularly to guide rodsor retalnlng rods for usein such devices.

In various types of filing receptacles, it,1s

customary to providea retaining rod co1nmonl'y known'as a guide rod for retaining cards and guides or the like, against removal while the rod is in position. It is customary at the present time to provide a knob at one .10 end of the rod, which knob protrudes through the front of the'receptacle sothat it is easily grasped when it isdesired to WliI-hdraw the rod from the receptacle. This knob is usually threaded into the-front of the-drawer and it must be unscrewed to remove the knob and rod. The :knobs of such harmony with the flush finished surfaces of high grade, surrounding furniture.

The advantages of flushguide rod ends has been previously recognized, but in the past the guide rods havebeen retained in position by a lock having its key slot accessible through the front endof the guide rod so that in addition to requiring a key for releasing the guide rod, its front end was rendered conspicuous by the presence of the key slot.

7 Another device resorted to in order to obtain a flush guide rod, has been the use of a detachable knob or sleeve which slips over the front end of the guide rod torelease a retaining spring, acting similarly in its effect to the aforementioned key. This device requires a conspicuous annular space between the guide rod and theopening in the receptacle front, to allow space for; operation of the knob or sleeve. q i

All of the foregoing arrangements have failed to provide a guide rod havingits front receptacle, with no appreciable annular space between the rod and the receptacle front, with the end of theirod unmutilated by a key slot or other releasing means, and Without the disadvantage of an extra part like a key which may become mislaidduring'the inter lthe front of the receptacle and with releas Lingmeans for the guide rod accessible ata In accordance withtlie present invention, thereis provided ayguide-rod arrangement in :which thefront end of the rod'is flush withtlie 1 front face ofthe receptacle and inlwhich the front end of the, rod is anfunbroken plane sur face that may have the same. finish a the front of the receptacle, soithat the only break in this portion of the-receptacle is the inconspicuous line due to thecIearancebetWeen the .front end of the rod andthe receptacle front.

Another feature .ofthe invention. relates. to aguide rod having its front end flush with nreQeo, j

" I we n the i ua iysf qm use 5 .guiderod. I i

ing means mounted between the principal planes of the drawerv front and its detachable liner orv at: some other convenient location like the backend :of the drawer, andfarretain .ing latch mounted between "the principal;

planeswof the front and its linerf-in such a manner that the liner, the ejecting spring for the guide rod and the releasing latch for the 1 rod, may bereadily inserted afterlassel'nquently require replacement.

These and other features of the invention will appear from the detailed description and;

claimsv when taken with the drawings, inv

sectiona'lized ontheline 2.'2 ofFig. J1 Fig.

is a horizontal sectiontaken on pthe line u -;33 of Fig. 1 showing the relation between A the drawer front its liner, and the drawer i b tt i 11 the mount'n of thefront end substantlally flush w th the front of the 2 g i gz iidfi g g e b and the latch therefor; Fig. .4, is avertica-l':

sectional'vi'ew ofa portion of a drawer taken on the line 4L 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 .isa-detailed sectional View taken on the line, 5+5fof Fig.

4 Fig. dis a perspective view of a guide rod bling and finishing the principalparts of the g i receptacle, and may alsobe-readily removed from the. receptacle if, they should subselatch; Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of a fragment of the drawer showing themounting of this modified form of the invention; Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view on the line 8. 8 of Fig.7 andFigs. 9 and 10 represent verticahsectional views taken at right-angles shown) and provided at it's" top" edge with an integral, horizontal flange 8, whichinturn is termed with" a" dfown turned extension 9 extending generally in s a direction parallel to the drawer f om; The lower edge of the dfawerfront isjlikewiseprovided with a hori- Z'o'ntajl" flange 10' formed with an upstanding extension 11 which is likewise generally parall'el'tothe front of the drawer; -The drawer alsoincludesar'e'a' r end portion (not shown),

' sides 13; which maybe attached to the inte gralsi'de flanges (not shown) on the drawer 'f'l'ontli'in" any well-known manner, and a bottoni14 having a channel portion depressed below the planeithereof to'receive a guide rod the; horizontal portion 17; (Fi 4;). The drawer bottom is provided at its front end, on: each slide of the mentioned channel portion; with the downturned angular" flanges 18, which"engage'the'extension 11' (Fig. 5) on the'face' thereof adjacent the drawer front. Thedrawer front is reinforced by a" liner 19 V v oprov'ided atit's" topwith a curved portion 20, 4 .5

which engages the portions 8" and 9'of' the upp'enp'art of the drawer front as shown in Fig.2". The lower edgeof the liner is formed with an extension 19a, projecting into the chann l in the drawer bottonnand with rec- ;tangu1ar forwardly bent extensions 21 (Figs. 4% and 5) Y resting 'in' part on'the bottom 14 of the drawer at each side of said channel, and

having theirfront edges preferably in'en-' gagement with the'inner surface of the drawer fronte The space-'22 between extensions 211 of the i hner :adj a'cent the guide rod i latch mechanism to be referred to, accommodates the several parts-thereof. It willbeunde'r stood'zth'at the liner'may'be held in the post tion shown by any one of several well known means; such as by the'bolts'of the drawer pull I 23 passing therethrough and through the registering, openings in the drawer front, and

the spacers 24, in which position the several parts are normally held by the nuts (not fshownj but engagingthe'threadedbolt ends in depressions 25 in the liner.- The drawer front? is provided with a'guide rodopening 26 of a size just suflicient to'receiv'e with proper clearance the frontend 27 of the guide rod 28 normally positioned in the channel of the drawer bottom. This guide rod at its front end is formed with a cylindrical portion 29, an annular latch-receiving groove 31,

and a second cylindrical portion 30 having a smaller diameter than 29." The cylindrical portion 30 at its rear side tapers to the diameter of the guide rod proper 28, so that the latching portion thereof can be easily inserted in the opening 26. It will be understood however, that theexact shape of the portion 30 is not an essential feature of the device, since it may be tapered to have the contour of" a-t'runca'ted cone-rather than that of a combined cylinder and cone. as shown.

In thespa'ce between the drawer front 7 and the'l'iner- 19,"thelatching 'and ejecting means for the guide rod is mounted. This ejecting means includes afiat spring 32 'hav-e ing the outline shown in Fig. 45' and provided with an openin'g13'3 through whichfithe guide 'rod is inserted, the'vertical diameter of being smaller than the diameter of 29 and larger than the diameter-of '30. As

shown in Figs: 3and4t this springis su'pported at one end by the lug 34 struck up from the angular portion 18 on the drawer bottom, which lug engages the elongated open ing 35 inthe spring; The other end of the 'ejectorspring is supported on the angular eX-tension 37 of a spring latch 38 which passes 'through-- registering openings in members 11 and 18', and the circular opening 36 in the e ector spring. This spring latch, the shape of which can best be seen'in Figs. 3 and 1,

passes through cut-out portions 39 and tO in the inclinedsid'es 1 5- and 16 of the channeled portion of the drawer bottom. When the spring latch is released after removal of-the guide rod 28 it is desirable for it'tospring down against either the'lug 11 (see Figs. 4

and struckout of extension 11 in drawer front, or against the bottom of the slot 39, thus holding it up far enough'for' easy inser-' tion of the guide rod u'nderit. When the guide rod is inserted further, the tapered portion of 30 presses the spring latch upward, in which case it is'restrainedat 87 and at the top of the slot 10', While it isfr'ee to move' vertically in theslot 39'. The handle portion 42 ofthe springlatch38 extends along vthe lower surface of the drawer bottom 14in spaced relation thereto, and rests against the rear face of the extensionll where it is out of the way and yet is easily accessible as soon as the drawer is partially opened. Thus whenit isdes'ired to remove the guide rodfrom the drawer front it is merely necessary to open the drawer partially so that the handle 42 of the spring latch is accessible at the lower edge. of the drawer front and this handle is then raised so that the spring latch 88 discngages the front face of the cylindrical portion 30 of the guide rod. As soon as the guide rod is thus unlatched, the

. ejector and spring latch, the liner, isremoved leaving the locations for the ejector andlatch fully exposed. In assembly, the spring latch is inserted from under the drawer bottom slots 39 and 40; then it is turned so that the angular extension 37 registers with and slips into the corresponding openings in 11 and 18.

The ejector spring 32 is then inserted so that onehole 36 slips over the angular extension 37 of the spring latch and the slot 35 slips over lug 34. A reversal of these operations disassem'bles the parts.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8, there is also indicated, a modified form of the invention wherein a latch, accessible from the inner edge ofthe drawer front, may be moved substantially horizontally to the right into its unlatching position as shown in Fig. 6, or to the left so that the latch engages the guiderod as shown in Fig. 8. The structure of the drawer, in which the guide rod with this modified form of ejecting and'latching means is used, has been very much abbreviated sincethis form of the invention may be used with almost any type of drawer and especially theftypeof drawer illustrated in the foregoing figures. In this arrangement also, the drawer front 7 has a guide rod opening 26 to receive the guide rod 28, the front end of which is likewise provided with cylindrical portions 29 and 30 slightly spaced from each other to form a notch 81 for receiving the latchportion 45 of the latch mechanism generally designated 46. On the liner 19 there is mounted in any suitable manner an ejector spring 47 the lower end of which is shown as apertured to receive the guide rod 28 and to engage the rear face of the. cylindrical portion 30 thereof. The latch mechanism 46 includes two handles 48 and 49 which are accessible from the. rear of the lower edge of the drawer front so that the latch 46 may be moved in openings 50 in the sides 15 and 16 of the drawer bottom channel tothe left to engage the front face of the cylindrical portion3O of'the guide rod and thus hold the guide rod in its closed position with its front end 27 flush with the drawer front, as shown in Fig. 7, and to the right to release the rod.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the drawer structure is also very much abbreviated since it dle 59 by whichit may be moved up and down in the guides provided on theliner119, being limited: in its downward movement by the stop 58, when theguiderod 28 isre'moved;

This guide'rod in this instance, is also providedwith cylindrical "portions 29' and .30 arranged to form a latch receiving notchso positionedthat it will beengaged by'therestricted portion of the key hole opening 60 when the front end 'of the guiderod is flush with the exposed surface of thedrawer front 7. The ejecting spring 61 for the guide rod may be supported in variousways, but it is herein represented as mounted on the rear endofthedrawer,

It will be understood that the present dis-' closure'is merely typical of a few of the many possible forms of the invention which is not to be limited thereby except as-spe'ci'fi cally defined in theappended claims.

What I claim is: j 1 1. In a receptacle for the storage of records,

a receptacle front having an opening therein, a guide rodinsertable through said opening,

and means accessible only at an edge of said receptacle front for retaining said guide rod against movement through said opening, and for releasingsaid guide rod for such' 'movement. 3 a

2. In a receptacle for the storage of records, a receptacle front having an opening I therein, a guide rod insertable through-said opening with one of its ends substantially flush with the receptacle front and in en-.

gagement with the wall of said 'opening,and

means only accessible immediately at the rear of said receptacle'front for releasing and ejecting said guide ing. i

3. In a receptacle for the storage of records, a receptacle front having an opening therein, a liner mounted in spaced relationto said front,'aguide rod insertable through said opening with one. end thereof substantially flush with the receptacle front, an ejecting device tending to eject said guide rod through said opening, and a latchingdevice normally holding said guide rod .l-withtone of its ends flush with the front of said drawer, said devices being mounted between the principal planes of said receptacle front and said liner and said latching device being accessible adjacent one edge of said frontf i 4. In a receptaclefor the storage of rec-v ords',a receptacle front,khaving an opening rod through said opentherein, a guiderod having its end-portion;

shaped-to substantially fillsaid opening: and

with its end flush with said front, aneject-ing spring normally. tending to eject said guide rod through saidop'ening, a latchnormally spring,'and means accessible only adjacent the rear ofsaid front for disengaging said latch whereby said spring ejectssaid rod.

5. In a receptacle for thestorage of records, a front member having an opening therein, ailiningmemben having a cut-outportion in registry with; saidopening, Isaid' lining member being mounted in spaced -relation to the frontmemberito formv achamber, a guide rodhaving one end normally flush with the face of said front member and of a size suficient to substantially' close said opening,

ejecting means for said guide" rod mounted between the princip al planes of said members, and latching means for retaining said guide rod in position flush with the exposed surface tof sa-idfront against the'actionof said ejecting means, said latching means bemgcper- Y "able from the edge of said front in the space i to p and lining members.

said rod infiush relation with the exposed face of said front member, said latching means-being mounted between the principal planes of said members and being accessible from the. edge of said front member.-

In 'a receptacle for the storage of records, a front member having an opening therein-and provided at its lower edge with an upstanding extension, a bottom member for said receptacle having a downwardly extending flangesupported adjacent said e2;- t'ensio-n, aguide rod insertable into saidopening and substantially flush with theexposed surface of said front, said guide rod being provided with a catch, a latch supported on said receptacle near the lower edge thereof to engage said catch, an ejector spring normally engaging a portion of said guide rod, said ejector being supported in part by said nan r 8. In a receptacle for the storage of records, a receptacle fronthaving an opening therein and provided with a spaced upstanding extension, a bottom member'for said receptacleprovided with a downwardly extending flange engaging saidextension, a liner supported in spaced relation fronisaid front member, a guide rod inserted insaid opening, a latch engaging a portion. of said guide rod to hold it in its normal position and providedwith-an angular portion, and an ejector spring tending to eject said guide miss s rod through said opening, said ejector spring being supported atv one end adjacent said flange and supported at its'other end on the angular extension ofsaid latch, said latch and ejector being mounted and said latch be- ,ing operablebetween the, principal planes of said front member and said liner.

7 9. In a receptacle for the storage of rec- V ords, a receptacle front having anopemng therein, a liner mounted in spaced relation.

tozsaid receptacle front, a guide rod insertable through said opening and having one end normally flush with the exposed face of said front member, said guide rod being provided with latching means, an ejectorspring 3 ten ding to ect said guide rod through said opening, and a latch member movablein a planeparallel to said front between the principal planes of said front and said liner to engage and disengage the latching means on said guide rod; 7

10. In a receptacle for the storage of recs ords, a receptacle front having an opening therein, a liner mounted in spaced relatlon to said receptacle front, a guide rod insertable through said opening and having one end normally flush with the exposed face of said front member, said guide rod beingprovided with latching means, an ejector spring tending, to eject said guide rod through said opening, anda latch member movable horizontally between the principal planes of said front and said liner to engage and disengage the latching means on said. guidecrod.

11. In a receptacle for the storage of recv ords, a receptacle front having an opening therein, a guide rod lnsertable through sald opening, and vertically movable means accessible only at an edge ofsaid receptacle front for retainingsaid guide rod against movement through said opening and for releasing said guide rod for such movement.

12. In a receptacle for the storage of rectherein, a liner mounted in spaced relation to said receptacle front, a guide; rodinsertable through said opening and having an;

imperforated end normally closing said opening, said guide rod being provided with latching means, an ejector spring tending to eject said guide rod through said opening, and a latch member movable between the principal planesof said front and said liner to engage and disengage the latching meansYon said guide rod.

EDWIN s. aoscon, 

